When an individual traverses, plays, skates, or otherwise becomes disposed upon a frozen body of water, such as a lake, the individual is subject to the integrity of the ice, which can fail and result in the individual falling through the ice. In these situations, the individual may require assistance to move to a safe location and avoid suffering serious injury, such as hypothermia or death. Rescue attempts, however, present complex situations to a would be rescuer due to weather conditions, the position of the individual relative to the rescuer, the integrity of the ice, and the experience and/or equipment available to the rescuer.
In some cases, when a rescuer lacks the experience or equipment to adequately provide assistance to the individual, the rescuer can fall through the ice and require rescuing. Professional rescuers, such as rescue squad members and firemen, are more successful in rescuing individuals that fall through ice due to the specific training they receive and the equipment they possess. However, even professional rescuers typically have to traverse the ice with ropes, hook poles, ladders or the like, and run the risk of falling through the ice and requiring rescuing.
Therefore, a need exists for new and useful approaches to rescuing a person.